ICSA to protest Mercosur trade deal
Protest at the gates of Leinster House on Thursday, November 13, at 11am.
The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) will stage a protest at the gates of Leinster House on Thursday, November 13, demanding that politicians stop talking and start taking real action to block the Mercosur trade deal.
ICSA president Sean McNamara, who farms near the Cavan-Longford border, said the Government’s opposition to Mercosur has been largely symbolic. “Our Government keeps telling us they’re against Mercosur – and yes, they’ve raised concerns in Brussels. But it’s little more than going through the motions. Meanwhile, Europe is pushing ahead with a deal that will flood our market with cheap South American beef and destroy the viability of Irish suckler and beef farming.”
He warned that so-called “safeguards” within the deal are meaningless. “These measures only kick in after the damage is done. We now know that beef prices could fall by up to 45% within five years, and still the EU wouldn’t be obliged to act. That’s not protection – it’s a green light to wipe out Irish family farms. Rural communities built on beef production will pay the price while shelves are filled with imports produced under weaker climate rules, lower traceability, and poorer animal welfare standards.”
Mr McNamara welcomed the efforts of Irish MEPs who have backed a legal challenge before the European Court of Justice to test whether the Mercosur deal breaches EU law. “Some of our MEPs have shown leadership by taking this action – but not all. Why aren’t the rest doing the same? And why aren’t Government ministers uniting behind this effort to defend Irish farming? If they truly believe Mercosur is bad for Ireland, they must act to stop it.”
He concluded, “Politicians claim to stand with farm families – now is the time to prove it. Allowing this deal through while proclaiming support for rural Ireland would be pure hypocrisy. Every farmer who wants to protect their livelihood should join us and send one clear message: NO to Mercosur – YES to the future of Irish farming.”